Though he was Lord of every star Surely, of many a rankling wound And shame will flush the troubled brow, Of the dear land beyond the sea And suddenly, amidst the crowd, Coarse bread may be the daily fare, Is a coarse mantle meaner garb Is the rude fare-the tasteless cup, Go with his message to the door And tell the needy how their King Hath known it! yea, remembers it And all things shall be given." H. T. CORRESPONDENCE. RETAINING CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS. REV. SIR, Since the appearance of a letter in your valuable little work, "The Teacher's Visitor," in the Number for September last, I have anxiously looked for an answer to the enquiry "as to the best mode of retaining the elder children in our Sunday-schools;" and, in the absence of further communication upon so important a subject, I regret that "Y" has not yet favoured us with views and plan of proceeding. In the Number for May, "Eunice" speaks well of the benefit arising from female adult classes; and most fervently do I hope the suggestions which she offers have been acted upon by many whose duty it is to dispense liberally of those spiritual blessings they have received. But, sir, what shall be said with respect to males? Is not the case equally applicable to those who are verging from boyhood to the perilous age of youth? Before they have well nigh buckled on the armour wherewith alone they can face the enemy, or withstand the fiery darts of the evil one, they go forth to the world exulting in their own strength-that rock upon which thousands of promising vessels have split-before their ear is become attuned to the voice of the great Captain under whose banner they have enlisted, they listen to "the stranger which flattereth with her words" (Prov. ii. 16.)-before they see any beauty in Christ that they should desire him, they are allured by the gaudy temptations of the world. This may not be seen suddenly; it is a gradual work, and, I fear, a growing evil. They first become negligent and careless in their attendance at the Sunday-school, yet might be seen loitering near the church gate. Their growth in stature and years gives them the idea that they are too old to learn; parental authority has then lost its force; so after a short time they decline attending at all. What is the consequence? They follow the bent of their own inclinations without restraint. The pleasures of sin have to them more attractions than the Sun of righteousness, consequently they are seldom seen at church, and too frequently plunge into a vortex of dissipation, which ends in the disappointment of their teacher, the blighted hopes of their parents, and the ruin of their immortal souls. I will not say there are no exceptions to this sad, but not overdrawn case; for I feel grateful that I can bear testimony to some in those I have been privileged to teach. But, alas! is it not too frequently the case? I fear that if every Sunday-school Teacher was to make a return of all the boys he has had under his care for the last five or six years, the number of casual worshippers, professing to be Christians, would far outweigh the sincere followers of the meek and lowly Jesus! How, then, can this state of things be improved, so that we can secure the attendance of our youths at the Sunday-school after they are placed in the various situations they are destined to fill in earning an honest livelihood? I am well aware, as Blair says, that "the bow of business cannot always be kept bent;" nor would I detract from those recreations which our wearied bodies require; but rather assist in promoting them, if lawful in their pursuit, innocent in their kind, and conducive in their end to increase rather than diminish our zeal in God's service, and to quicken us in our private devotions. May I then invite the attention of yourself, my fellow-teachers, and the Superintendents of our Schools to this important subject; and if any are pursuing the work, I hope they will give us the benefit of their experience. An idea has suggested itself to me of forming week night-classes, and, to make it as entertaining as the object we have in view will allow, combine secular with the most interesting portions of Scriptural instruction; for unless we can secure the attention of the boys, gain their interest, yea, and somewhat of their affections in the work, we shall make but little progress. To this might be added a library in such of our schools where one does not exist. But what course of instruction shall be adopted, and under whose management shall the Classes be? It cannot be expected that the master of the daily school, after his fagging work in the close atmosphere caused by 120 boys in a room the whole of a day, should have this additional heavy charge upon his hands; and perhaps, in a majority of cases, the teachers of the Sunday-school cannot attend during the week evenings. I only offer these hints for the consideration of those more experienced than myself, in hopes they may elucidate some plan preferable to this, or show the best mode of procedure under this rough sketch. Again submitting the subject to your consideration, and to the care and direction of the Holy Spirit, "who alone can order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men," I remain, &c. Liverpool, July 11th, 1845. J. B. W. ON THE ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN IN CHURCH. REV. SIR,-On this important subject, I beg to offer a few remarks, through the medium of your magazine, to those engaged in Sunday-school teaching generally, but more particularly to the writer of the letter signed "J. G. T.," which appeared in the last number of your valuable little work. As the subject is one upon which I have, as a Sunday-school Superintendent, for many years experienced difficulties, and on that account have been compelled to give the matter serious consideration, I shall confine my observations to circumstances which have occurred during that period, and then, with a few practical remarks, leave the inference to be drawn to the readers of your publication. "J. G. T." observes, that " we gather the children into our Sunday-schools that we may endeavour to bestow on them that religious instruction which their parents feel themselves unable to impart." If this be the case, have we performed our duty, when the instruction given in the school-room is concluded? Has the Teacher got rid (if so I may express myself) of all responsibility, when he hears the bell ring for closing books, or when the concluding hymn has been sung? or should he watchfully and prayerfully walk by the side of his class from the school to the house of God, he having endeavoured to impress upon the minds of his scholars, prior to leaving the school-room, that his little ones are going into the immediate presence of God? for that he has said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." If the Teacher would adopt this plan, and proceed by the side of his class, and show by his demeanour, both on the way to church, and during the service there, that he himself feels the truth of what he has described to the children of his class, is it too much to hope that their childish, playful feelings would be allayed, and that a devotional and serious impression would be made upon their youthful minds at the opening of the service, and that their attention would be kept alive during the whole of the service? Let the Teachers try this plan-let them teach the children how to find the places in their Prayer-Books-let the children be taught to value the privilege of having seats procured for them in the church, and to repeat to their parents on the Sunday evening the text, and as much of the substance of the sermon as they have retained, and greater good is more likely to result than by suffering the children to disperse immediately on closing the school, which would be the result, provided "J. G. T.'s" suggestions were attempted; for it is not possible to draw a line of distinction between one child and another, or between one family and another; and if once the door is opened to excuses, the careless will avail themselves of it-the discipline of the school is destroyed-the authority of the Teachers and Superintendent set at nought. Either all must go to the seats allotted to them, or the rule must be entirely given up. If we could be assured that the parents would call for their children every Sunday morning, and again in the afternoon, at the close of the school, and that they would take their children with them to church, and that every child would be called for, then there would be less objection; but can we suppose that a mother, with a helpless baby, could leave her own house on the Sunday to call at the schoolroom for her children, and to take them with her to church? Can we not more easily believe that she would rather remain at her own home, and take care of her little one-she knowing that her children attending school would be under proper care, would be affectionately guided and taught by a Christian Teacher, and that she would in the evening be able to hear, at all events, some portion of the sermon given by the minister? Again, do we not know, from experience, that many of the children who attend our schools are the offspring of parents, who, from some cause or other, known perhaps only to themselves, very seldom, if ever, join in public worship at church; and do we not also know that they are the children over whom it is necessary, on the part of the Teacher, to look with the most watchful eye? Have we not also often seen parents and their children on the Sunday afternoon rambling into the fields during the time of service at the church, in which the children, if not kept by them away from the Sunday-school, would have been worshipping God; and if such be the case, how then can it be expected that a blessing will rest upon the instruction conducted upon such unsound principles? In the school, the children are taught to keep holy the Sabbath-day: when they leave the school, they are taught to forget it. I am quite ready to admit, that there are many families connected with our Sunday-schools who do attend our church, and who also take pleasure in sending their children to our Sunday-schools, and feel the privilege to be great, and with confidence entrust them to our care on the Sabbath-day. Now, with these we have comparatively no trouble. They, as a matter of course, Sunday after Sunday are found in their respective classes, and meet their Teachers with countenances lit up with joy; they go to the house of God with seeming reverence, and when they have taken their places in the benches allotted to them, fall down upon their knees to ask the aid of the Holy Spirit to guard their thoughts, and to enable them to derive instruction from the lips of their minister. These are our patterns, these are such as "J. G. T." proposes to remove, and these are our stay. Remove them, and you encourage the restless to rebel. I am afraid that I shall occupy too much of your space, and there |